UCLA coach Jim Mora said he has been to El Paso before and has passed through the city but he has never been a part of this 80th annual Hyundai Sun Bowl.

He missed by one year.

Mora played for the University of Washington from 1980 through 1983.

The Huskies played in the 1979 Sun Bowl under legendary coach Don James, defeating Texas 14-7 when the game was played on Dec. 22.

UCLA and the ACC

UCLA and Virginia Tech will be meeting for the first time in today's Hyundai Sun Bowl.

The last time UCLA faced an Atlantic Coast Conference team was in the 2006 Emerald Bowl in San Francisco, losing 44-27 to Florida State.

UCLA is 17-14 all-time against the ACC. The Bruins are 9-5 all-time vs. Pittsburgh, 2-0 against North Carolina State, 2-1 against Miami and 2-6 against Syracuse. They have not played anyone else in the ACC more than once.

FOURTH TIME IN THE SUN

This will be UCLA's fourth trip to the Hyundai Sun Bowl.

The Bruins beat Northwestern 50-38 in 2005, lost to Wisconsin 21-20 in 2000 and beat Illinois 6-3 in the then-John Hancock Bowl in 1991.

UCLA has played in bowl games in nine of the last 11 seasons, missing bowl trips in 2008 and 2010.

UCLA, 9-3 going into today's shootout with Virginia Tech, has had seven seasons in which it won more than nine games -- 10 each in 1946, 1982, 1987, 1988, 1997, 1998 and 2005.

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Mora is going after his 19th win in two seasons as Bruin head coach. His 18 wins are currently the record for coaches over their first two seasons at the school.

YOUNG GUNS

Thirty four freshmen and sophomores saw action in UCLA's 35-14 win over USC on Nov. 30.

The Bruins were ranked 17th in the final BCS poll and UCLA was ranked as high as ninth in the Associated Press poll this season.

BATTLING BACK

Reserve fullback Luke Gane underwent chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant in high school to help overcome a rare blood disorder, aplastic anemia.

The 6-2, 228-pound redshirt junior, from Huntington Beach, Calif., has lettered three years with the Bruins.

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